Speaking of the Supreme Court, they are back in session, despite the... thing we're not discussing today. On the docket this year are issues like affirmative action, freedom of speech[3] and religion, and presidential power among other things.

One thing the court will not hear is the Virginia appeal over the state's sodomy law[4]. The state's attorney general and republican gubernatorial candidate Ken Cuccinelli had been pushing to have the state's sodomy laws reinstated in the state.

An old-ish Supreme Court case has finally come to a resolution. Dusten Brown, the biological father of Baby Veronica[5], has decided to not pursue any further litigation. Therefore, Veronica's adoptive parents will retain full custody. Brown made a tearful and heartbreaking statement informing the world of his decision, and he also spoke directly to Baby Veronica, telling her that he would always love her and she would always be welcome in his home.

Also in Washington, one entertaining aspect of the unnamed crisis has been the Congressional chaplain, Barry C. Black. He has called on God to "Save us from the madness." And all God's people say "Amen." You can see a full profile of Chaplain Black here[6].

Another response of some religious groups to the crisis-that-shall-not-be-named has been a "faithful filibuster[7]." A small group of faith leaders gathered outside the Capitol and read 2,000 verses from the Bible that mention the poor and vulnerable.

Scott Carpenter, an astronaut and the second American to orbit the earth, died on Thursday at the age of 88[8]. He only went into space once, and then only for about 5 hours. But when he returned to Earth, he became a U.S. Senator for Ohio.

Meanwhile at the Vatican, Pope Francis has called for an extraordinary synod, to take place in October of 2014, which will consider families, divorce, and remarriage[11]. Some dioceses in Germany took that as a sign to start openly allowing remarried persons to participate in communion, and the Vatican issued a warning to not reform TOO fast, now[12].